Wallboard package and holder



Jan. 22, 1946.

A. a. BIC KNELL" WALLBOARD PACKAGE AND HOLDER Filed Oct. 7, 1942Patented Jan. 22, 1946 WALLBOARD PACKAGE AND HOLDER Alfred BertramBicknell, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignor to United States GypsumCompany, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application October 7,1942, Serial No. 461,175 In Canada May 28, 1942 7 Claims.

This invention relates to the packaging of plaster or wallboard elementsand particularly to packages formed by means securable about the ends oftwo or more such elements to facilitate handling the same as a unitarybundle.

The invention contemplates the use of packaging clips which can beexpeditiously secured to the ends of a bundle comprising two or moreboard elements to hold the latter elements in position as a unit duringshipment and other handling periods, and which can be quickly removedfrom the bundle when the elements of the latter are to be used. Theclips are so formed that they can be secured and removed withoutlacerating or damaging the fragile surfaces of 'the two elementscomprising the outermost elethe previously used clips even though thelatter.

required much more material in their manufacture and were definitelymore expensive there'- because. Accordingly, the invention hereafterdescribed and claimed is directed to the production of bundling clipsmade from spring wire of any desired crosssection. It has been foundthat such wire clips are highly satisfactory in use and may be producedat a much lower cost than degree angle therewith; This particularformation results in the clip when placed over the ends of boards asshown in the drawing, gripping the outside boards extremely tenaciouslyand holding the boards in packaged position. It will be understood thatthe spring wire may be of either circular or other cross section.

In Fig. 3 the bent ends of the clip have been offset by further bendingas at 5 and iii to pro-- duce a very definite gripping of the clip withthe outermost faces of the outer boards of a bundle.

Fig. 4 illustrates a clip similar to that shown in Fig.2 but wherein theprongs l3 and H are slightly longer and where a definite kink or bendIlla has been imparted to the longer or central portion of the clip.These changes result in a reduction in the opening dimension or the clipand produce a tighter grip on the bundle ends, by reason of which theclips do not loosen when the bundles are handled The kink at the back oron the intermediate portion of the clip also serves to prevent the clipfrom being turned overor inverted in its longer dimension when the clipsare pulled over the bundle. This kink, moreover, serves to dividetension over three bends, whereas there are only two tension-absor-bingbends in the clip shown in Fig. 2.

In forming a package wherein the boards are held together by any of theabove described 30 clips, one of two methods or a combination therehasheretofore been possible with other devices used for the same purpose.Not only does a real commercial advantage arise from the saving inmaterial and cost, but there is also an advantage in the ease ofproduction made possible by the use of wire. Finally, it is now foundthat wire clips can be more easily secured in packaging position.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an eievational perspective view of a package of boards heldin bundled form by wire clips secured around the ends thereof;

Fig. 2 illustrates the clip used in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 illustrates a modified form of clip who used in the sameposition; and I Fig. 4 shows another clip for similar use.

of may be followed. Either the ends of the elements or boards comprisinga bundle maybe subjected to a compacting force as the spring wire Y clipis placed 'over the ends of the package or The natural resiliency ofspring wire is utilized the clip may be utilized. Any one of theseprocedures results in the boards being held under some compression andthis, in turn, roduces a frictional engagement [between the flatsurfaces of adjacent boards which firmly secures them in packagedposition during'handling and shipment.

The term seatingly in the claims defines the manner in which the cliparms, particularly the outer tips thereof, engage the faces of the topand bottom boards of the plasterboard bundle. Inasmuch as the grippingarms are substantially parallel to the board faces, the tips or ends ofthe arms do not pierce or make a hole in the board covering sheets. Onthe contrary, the pressure exerted by these arms when the clip is placedin position slightly crushes the plaster thereunder without, however,piercing or making a damaging hole inv the cover of the board.

However, the cover is pushed down slightly into the crushed plaster,thereby producing a pocket in which the clip arm is cradled. Althoughthe clip arms thereby grip the outside boards extremely tenaciously tohold them in package posltion, the fragile surface of the outermostelements of the package are not unacceptably damaged.

It is not intended that the description heretofore given of, theinvention and/or the showing thereof set forth in the drawing islimiting in any respect of the monopoly claimed by applicant. It is onthe contrary intended that all claims hereinafter allowed, whether madeinitially or to be added (assuming that they are properly supportable bythe drawing and/or specification and/or claims originally made herein),shall be the measure of the. scope of the invention herein set forth. I

I claim:

1. The combination with a stack of superimposed flat panels inface-to-face relation of a clip comprising a long narrow ,u-shapedspring wire element, the arms of which are substantially parallel to andembrace the outer panels of the stack and the ends of said armsterminating abruptly to provide narrow tips which seatingly engage theouter faces of the outermost panels. the tips of the arms being normallycloser together than the junctions of the arms with the medial portionofthe element, whereby when applied to a stack only the narrow tips ofthe arms are in pressure-exerting seating relation to the panels of thestack.

2. The combination with a plurality of stacked plasterboard panelsplaced together in race-iiace relation, of a clip comprising a longnarrow U-shaped spring wire element, the arms of which are substantiallyparallel to and embrace the outer panels of the stack and the ends orsaid arms terminating abruptly in narrow tips which seatlngly engage theouter faces of the outermost panels, the tips of the arms bein normallycloser together than the junctions of the arms witirthe medial portion0! the element, whereby only the narrow tips or the arms are inpressureexerting seating relation to the panels 0! the stack, thecentral portion of the medial portion being offset outwardly with,respect to a line through said junctions whereby the distance betweensaid Junctions is increased as the arms are spread apart and whereby atool may be readily inserted between the medial portion and the edges ofthe panels to facilitate removal of the clip.

3. The combination with a plurality of stacked plasterboard panelsplaced together in face-toface relation of a clip comprising alongnarrow U-shaped spring wire element, the arms of which are substantiallyparallel to and embrace the outer panels of the stack and the ends orsaid arms being cut off squarely to provide narrow tips which seatinglyengage the outer faces 01' normally closer together than the junctionsof the arms with the medial portion of the element, whereby only thenarrow tips 01' the arms are in pressure-exerting seating relation tothe panels of the stack, the central portion of the medial portion beingoflset with respect to a line through said junctions whereby thedistance between said junctions is increased as the arms are spreadapart.

4. The combination with a stack of superimposed fiat panels iniace-to-iace relation oi a clip comprising a long narrow U-shaped springwire element, the arms of which are substantially parallel to andembrace the outer panels of the stack and the ends or said armsterminating abruptly to provide narrow tips which seatingly engage theouter faces of the outermost panels, the tip portions of said arms beingdisposed at an angle to remainder of said arms and said tips beingnormally closer together than the Junctions of the arms with the medialportion of the element, whereby when applied to a stack only the narrowtip portions or said arms being disposed at an angle to remainder ofsaid arms and said tips are in pressure-exerting seating relation to thepanels of the stack,

,5. The combination with a stack 0! superimposed flat panels inface-to-tace relationship of a clip comprising a single piece ofresilient spring wire having a cross section substantially equal in twodirections at right angles to each other and comprising a medialbridging section and two arms integral therewith and extendingrespectlv'ely from each of the ends of said medial section at angles ofless than 90 degrees, said arms terminating abruptly thereby providingretention-means which seatingly engage the surfaces of the outermostpanels and penetrate slightly into said surfaces.

6. The combination with a stack of superimposed plasterboard panels inface-to-face relationship oi. a clip comprising a single piece ofresilient spring wire having a substantially circular cross section andcomprising a medial bridging section and two coplanar arms integraltherewith and extending respectively from each of the ends to saidmedial section normally at angles of less than 90 degrees, said armsbeing shorter than the medial section and cut of! squarely at their endsto provide retention-means which sent. ingly engage and penetrateslightly into the surfaces of the outermost panels of the stack.

7. The combination with a stack of superim- 1 posed plasterboard panelsin face to face relationship of a clip comprising a single piece ofround resilient wire bent into the form of a wide U, whose medialsection is at least twice as great as the arms thereof, and the interiorangle made by the arms and the medial section being normally less than90 degrees, the ends of the wire terminating abruptly, thereby providingretentio'n-means which engage the outer surfaces of such stack oiplasterboard in a. seatingly engagethis manner thereby preventing theslipping of I, said clip but permitting its ready removal by theoutermost panels, the tips of the arms being pressure exerted at rightM18185 to the medial section.

ALFRED BERTRAM BlCKNELL.

